Spears Wants Changes To Her Conservatorship, Just Like Many People In Her Situation

Do you remember when Britney Spears shaved her head? The incident is seen as the apex of the Mississippi-born pop singer’s out of control lifestyle. Shortly thereafter, she was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital and her father, Jamie, was given temporary legal control of her affairs. 

The incident made a lot of headlines, and launched a “Free Britney” movement that endures to this day. We think that part of the public’s fascination with Britney’s troubles stemmed from the fact that many families face similar challenges. 

At Palmer & Slay, we frequently help Rankin County families deal with the legal issues that arise when a loved one needs help managing their affairs, but may not want to admit that is the case. Our experienced team helps families get guardianships, fight guardianships, and make changes to existing guardianship and conservator arrangements.   

Overprotected

Spears originally fought her father’s efforts to place her under conservatorship, but a judge determined she was mentally unfit to make such decisions for herself. In an MTV documentary about that tumultuous time in her life, Spears remarked, “Even when you go to jail, you know there’s the time when you’re gonna get out, but in this situation, it’s never ending.”

Now, over a decade later, some changes may be coming. According to an article in The Atlantic, “In fall of 2019, Jamie temporarily left his role as conservator, citing his own medical crisis, and a woman named Jodi Montgomery—who had been working as Spears’s health-care manager—took his place. Spears then, in an August 2020 filing by her court-appointed lawyer, expressed a desire for her father not to return to his role as conservator. She instead wants Montgomery and a financial firm to handle her affairs. A legal skirmish has unfolded, with Spears’s representatives accusing Jamie of financial mismanagement and repressive secrecy, and Jamie firing back with accusations of grandstanding and recklessness.”

“Although Spears wants substantial changes to her life, the conservatorship, [Samuel D. Ingham III] writes, is ‘voluntary,’ and she is currently not looking to end it. Lawyers will be in court again this [fall] to discuss the case, and if Spears’s side gets the ‘transparency’ that it is asking for, the issue of her independence—and the question of why she does not have it—will be litigated more publicly than ever before…”

Piece of Me

Britney Spears is not the only person under a conservatorship or guardianship that would like some changes made to it. This is a situation we frequently deal with at Palmer & Slay. 

When our firm is involved in such a case, we gather evidence showing that the health and financial well-being of the person under guardianship is best-served by the plan we are advocating for. Other interested parties will do the same. It is then up to the judge to determine which path forward is the best. 

If you are under a guardianship or conservatorship, and want to make some changes, or are otherwise involved in such a case, we may be able to help. Please contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation.